The Basic Dimension to Examine the Puritan Heritage to the Spirit of Science--Introduction to Series Study of the General Mental Tendency of the Traditional Western Intellectuals
HAN Cai-ying
Abstract：The relationship between science and religion is an important subject so scholars should not evade in their related research. The academic field, especiall in China, lacks systematic historical retrospection of the mental tradition of western intellectuals. Einstein had insight into the inherent consistency between the spirit of science and the religion-like mental ethos. Nevertheless, the one who eludes us to inquire the true relationship between the Medieval Christianity and (pre)science is Merton. Although there are many limitations to the Merton thesis, the traditional Puritan way of life and ethical attitude have played an important role in the condensation of the modern scientific spirit, while the Protestant ethics contributed little to it.
Keywords：the Merton thesisthe Puritan traditionthe spirit of science
Publication Date：2014-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 11-15,50 )